The ongoing social media conflict between Nigerian actress Iyabo Ojo and internet personality Very Dark Man (VDM) has taken a disturbing turn, with VDM making inflammatory personal attacks against the actress’s family. This latest development marks a serious escalation in their year-long public dispute, introducing concerning elements of generational predictions and personal accusations.
The confrontation intensified following Iyabo Ojo’s recent public analysis of VDM’s behavior, where she attributed his controversial online presence to what she perceived as childhood challenges and lack of nurturing. Her message, which delved into personal aspects of VDM’s family background, prompted an aggressive response that has shocked many social media users.
VDM’s retort crossed several boundaries, making unsubstantiated claims about Ojo’s personal relationship with Paulo Okoye and making predictions about her daughter Priscilla’s future. The social media activist’s response included inappropriate speculations about private matters and relationships, escalating what began as a professional disagreement into a deeply personal conflict.
This latest exchange represents a significant intensification of their ongoing dispute, which originally stemmed from disagreements over Ojo’s involvement in the late singer Mohbad’s case. The conflict has evolved through various stages, including a notable clash in June 2023 over Ojo’s attendance at Davido’s wedding celebrations, where VDM’s claims about her invitation status were ultimately disproven by the actress.
The current situation has raised concerns among social media observers about the increasingly personal nature of online conflicts in Nigerian entertainment circles. What began as a disagreement over professional matters has devolved into exchanges involving family members and personal relationships, highlighting the often toxic nature of social media disputes.
The involvement of Ojo’s daughter Priscilla in these accusations has particularly troubled many observers, as it brings an uninvolved young person into a pre-existing conflict between adults. VDM’s comments about Priscilla’s future have been widely criticized as inappropriate and potentially harmful, regardless of any existing disagreements with her mother.
This incident reflects a broader pattern of how social media disputes in Nigerian entertainment can quickly escalate beyond professional disagreements into personal attacks. The public nature of these exchanges, combined with the permanent nature of digital content, raises questions about the long-term impact on all parties involved, including family members who become collateral damage in such conflicts.
The entertainment industry’s reaction to this latest development has been mixed, with some calling for intervention from senior industry figures to prevent further escalation. Others view this as symptomatic of a larger problem within Nigerian social media culture, where personal attacks and unsubstantiated claims often overshadow legitimate discourse.
The conflict also highlights the challenges faced by public figures in managing their online presence and responding to criticism or attacks. Ojo’s initial attempt to address VDM’s behavior through a psychological lens, rather than matching aggressive rhetoric with aggression, demonstrates the different approaches public figures take in handling online conflicts.
As this situation continues to unfold, it serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of social media disputes and their impact on personal lives and family relationships. The involvement of family members and the making of personal predictions about their futures marks a concerning trend in online conflicts that many industry observers hope will not become normalized.
This ongoing dispute raises important questions about the boundaries of social media criticism and the responsibility of public figures and influencers in managing their online interactions. As the Nigerian entertainment industry continues to grapple with these issues, many hope that more constructive ways of handling disagreements will emerge.
